Chapter One Hundred and Ten
Qi Xiao did not delay. He merely had Qi Hua's body tidied up before sending word to the imperial clan. The group had barely settled into the side hall of Haiyan Palace when they received the news. Disregarding everything else, they rushed over immediately.
Elder Prince Hui felt his head splitting in two. If the incident with Empress Feng had been a coincidence, surely this couldn't be one too? Was Qi Xiao some soul-stealing Yaksha? The moment he visited Empress Feng, she hanged herself. Now he had come to see Qi Hua, and before Qi Xiao even left, Qi Hua had passed away!
Qi Xiao's expression remained unmoved as he quietly listened to the imperial physician explain the cause of Qi Hua's death to the assembled officials. Before long, officials from the Clan Office arrived. After a cursory examination, Prince Ming shook his head at the crowd and said quietly, "No external injuries. The medicine he just took and the congee from earlier hours showed no problems. We just tested them... He probably couldn't bear the shock of learning that Her Majesty the Empress had passed away, and..."
Everyone turned to look at Qi Xiao. His face betrayed nothing as he said coolly, "Find out who was loose-lipped just now. Once found... execute them on the spot."
Elder Prince Hui's body swayed, barely steadied by the eunuch attending him. Qi Xiao raised his eyes to look at him. "What's wrong, Elder Prince?"
"Nothing..." Elder Prince Hui pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his sweat, forcing a smile. "I'm just... getting old. Can't bear to see these things anymore... Forgive me, Your Highness."
Qi Xiao lowered his gaze. "A misfortune for the imperial family, such incidents occurring one after another... I must ask all you uncles and cousins to devise a proper explanation. Dawn is approaching. How shall we account for this to the realm?"
Elder Prince Shou hesitated. "Empress Feng's departure wasn't honorable. We can't very well tell the truth..."
Qi Xiao turned to Prince Shou and smiled faintly. "Your Highness speaks wisely. Among the imperial family, those who don't die well are not few. How could we possibly explain everything to everyone?"
At these words, everyone inevitably thought of Empress Xiao Xian... At this point, if anyone still claimed Qi Xiao knew nothing of past events and wasn't taking revenge, no one would believe it. What the assembled officials feared most now was not how to explain things to the realm, but...
Elder Prince Hui's heart was uneasy. The late Emperor Wu had passed suddenly. Although a Crown Prince had already been named, for unknown reasons many at court argued that the realm needed an experienced ruler and that Qi Xiao's succession was inappropriate. While the court was in turmoil, Empress Xiao Xian followed the Emperor to the grave. The Emperor and Empress Xiao Xian had always been deeply devoted to each other, which could serve as an explanation, but Prince Hui knew in his heart that no matter how deep their conjugal love, could it possibly compare to their infant son in swaddling clothes?
The imperial clan had not failed to suspect what had happened that day, but those who stood forth to speak in Qi Xiao's defense were few and far between. Elder Prince Chun had spoken some fair words, yet what came of it? Qi Jing had the court censors impeach Prince Chun for the crime of fraternizing with frontier generals. The imperial clan was silenced, not daring to speak another word.
There was significant dissent, especially in military circles, but those who led the opposition were dealt with one after another by Qi Jing on various pretexts. Those vibrant lives were lost one after another on fabricated charges. Even now, Prince Hui's heart chilled at the memory. Qi Jing appeared benevolent on the surface, but his methods were crueler than anyone's!
Everyone had families, wives, and children. Besides those loyal to the late Emperor Wu unto death, who would be willing to risk their entire clan to confront Qi Jing directly? Moreover, at that time, all the male relatives of the Empress had died on the battlefield. Without a legitimate mother to protect the Crown Prince within, without support from the maternal family without, unless another Duke of Zhou were to appear, how could Qi Xiao have ascended to the throne? Though everyone felt something was wrong, they could only acknowledge Qi Jing as Emperor.
And now...
The several Elder Princes looked into Qi Xiao's cold, indifferent eyes and felt trembling in their hearts... Was Qi Xiao beginning to settle accounts, one by one?
Qi Xiao turned to Prince Ming and said coolly, "What explanation does Your Highness think would be best?"
Prince Ming had been lost in thought, but immediately snapped to attention. He bowed respectfully and said cautiously, "Your Highness is most prudent. Such matters... truly should not be spread abroad. The Director of the Clan Office presumes to offer a possible account. Would Your Highness care to hear it?"
Qi Xiao nodded. Prince Ming took a deep breath and said solemnly, "All you uncles and cousins already know what happened at Fenghua Palace. The palace servants have confessed—the Empress wished to poison the Crown Prince, but due to some mishap, the poison was accidentally consumed by the Second Prince. The Second Prince's life hung in the balance, and Empress Feng, fearing her guilt, took her own life. When the Second Prince awoke and heard the news, he was overwhelmed with grief. Combined with the poison ravaging his body, he could not hold on and passed away as well... This is the truth. When His Majesty awakens, we must report everything to him clearly."
Prince Shou's heart stirred. Prince Ming continued, "But for the outside world... we could say that a certain palace servant at Fenghua Palace had once been reprimanded by the Second Prince. Harbouring resentment, he took advantage of this opportunity to administer the poison. As for those chopsticks... we could say the craftsmen were greedy, having pocketed the silver meant for making the chopsticks and replaced the materials with inferior substitutes. Thus the poisoning would be explained away. The Second Prince's cause of death... would simply be incurable illness. Both the Empress and Second Prince passed away on this same night. Those outside don't know the sequence of events, so we could instead say the Second Prince went first, and the Empress, overwhelmed by grief upon hearing the news, couldn't bear to go on and hanged herself. This version makes more sense. What do the rest of you think?"
Prince Hui苦笑 in his heart. He was still hesitating, yet others had already read the winds and turned their coats. Prince Hui looked at Prince Shou. Their eyes met, and understanding passed between them. He lowered his head and said quietly, "This would be most suitable."
Qi Xiao gave Prince Ming a satisfied glance and nodded. "Then let us proceed as the elders have suggested."
The officials clenched their teeth. Qi Xiao had played an excellent move. First, he used Empress Feng's incident to draw everyone here. Then, before dawn even broke, he had Qi Hua killed. Now he had Prince Ming devise this elaborate story, getting everyone to agree in secret. If anyone in the future tried to reopen this matter, every person present would be a witness for Qi Xiao!
Prince Hui took a deep breath. Without them realizing it, Qi Xiao had drawn them all onto his boat... But perhaps this was for the best. As long as they went along with him, the events of the past... he probably wouldn't trouble them further, right?
After settling matters here, Qi Xiao was too bored to stay guarding Qi Hua's body any longer. He said leisurely, "His Majesty hasn't awakened. We cannot yet announce the deaths, so let's keep him in his own palace for now. I... shall go see His Majesty."
The assembled princes were greatly alarmed. Was Qi Xiao going to send the Emperor off as well?!
...
"You all think far too terribly of me. Do you really believe I would be so ruthless as to eliminate an entire family in one night?" Qi Xiao smiled and shook his head, passing a bowl of bird's nest to Jiang Deqing. For the first time, something warm flickered in his eyes as he instructed quietly, "Have someone take this back to the mansion to heat it up for him to eat. This is the first batch of tribute bird's nest from this year. The quantity was too small, reserved only for His Majesty's personal use. I've been wanting to get some for him but never found the opportunity..."
Qi Xiao turned to glance at the Emperor still unconscious in the inner chamber and chuckled softly, "One who is about to die... hardly needs such fine provisions. Medicine alone will suffice."
Fu Hailu, bound and gagged on the floor by Jiang Deqing, groaned loudly at these words. Qi Xiao smiled. "He probably still has things to say to me. Jiang Deqing..."
Jiang Deqing understood. He stepped forward and removed the cloth from Fu Hailu's mouth. The moment he could speak, Fu Hailu shouted at the top of his lungs. Qi Xiao frowned, and Jiang Deqing simply landed a dozen solid slaps across his face. Fu Hailu's vision swam, and he instantly wilted, becoming much more docile.
Qi Xiao smiled lightly. "Everyone outside is now mine. Even if you shout, it won't matter. But I only wish to hear human speech, not the screeching of pigs and dogs. If you have nothing useful to say, I'll just gag you again."
Both of Fu Hailu's cheeks were swollen from Jiang Deqing's blows, making it difficult for him to speak. After much effort, he managed to spit out with hatred, "You... His Majesty is this sick, and you won't let him eat! Two days now... you've only been forcing medicine down his throat! And this bowl of bird's nest—you're taking it away! You... you..."
Qi Xiao shook his head and smiled. "You're misunderstanding me... I've stopped your master's medicine for the past two days and started having the imperial physicians treat him properly. Yet you don't appreciate it?"
Fu Hailu was shocked. "Medicine? What medicine?!" Fu Hailu wasn't a fool. After thinking briefly, he understood, and his eyes went wide. "The Emperor's illness was actually... actually you..."
Just then, Xi Xiang entered. Upon seeing Qi Xiao, he dropped to his knees. "Your servant pays his respects to Your Highness. The Commander of the Left Forbidden Army has been taken by Your Highness's men and is now imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review. Please give your orders regarding him. Furthermore, all other strategic positions are now under our people's control. There shouldn't be any trouble. Oh, and the rear palace—Lady Consort Xue is soothing everyone there. She says everything is calm in the front, and everyone should stay peacefully in their own palaces."
Fu Hailu stared at Xi Xiang in disbelief and cried out, "When did you also link up with the Crown Prince?! You beast!! Wasn't the Emperor good enough to you?! I should have back then..."
"Should have what?" Xi Xiang turned his head and grinned fiercely. "Heh... I haven't even thanked you yet, Manager Fu, for all your 'guidance' over the years. But you just said something wrong, didn't you? When did I ever link up with the Crown Prince? Bah! Open your dog eyes and look clearly! I entered the palace before age ten. At twelve, I was nearly beaten to death by some bullies in the Imperial Kitchen. If it hadn't been for Empress Xiao Xian transferring me to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and having my master care for me with good food and drink, how could I have survived to today?! Your ungrateful master is a thankless wretch, but I'm not! Repaying His Highness the Crown Prince is only right and proper!"
Xi Xiang still wanted to twist the knife. He laughed and said, "You master and servant couple kept me in the dark! Yet I got to enjoy the good times AND accomplish tasks for His Highness... Ha! You truly have no eyes! Deserved to end up like this!"
Fu Hailu was so furious his blood boiled. He wailed loudly, "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince killed the Empress and Second Prince... Now the Crown Prince is coming to—mmph, mmph!"
Xi Xiang flew into a rage and quickly stuffed Fu Hailu's mouth again. Just then, sounds came from the inner chamber. A strange light flashed in Qi Xiao's eyes. He rose and entered the inner room. By the dragon bed, a small side table had toppled over, spilling medicine across the floor. The Emperor, his face withered and jaundiced, leaned against the small cabinet beside the bed, gasping for breath. His chest heaved like bellows. His clouded eyes, fixed on Qi Xiao, overflowed with fear and fury. Clearly, he had heard everything that was just said. Overcome with rage, an abnormal flush spread across his cheeks.
Qi Xiao curved his lips into a smile. "His Majesty has finally awakened."